We freedom camped at Diamond Lake, which was lovely with views of rolling green pastures and mountain in the backdrop. We feasted on homemade pesto pizzas on the grill when we were suddenly interrupted by a herd of cattle. All we could hear was a sea of "Moooooooo" and I ran around the camper van to see all of these brown and white dairy cows just roaming the roads and wandering around the camp grounds. Ha! What a sight to see, everyone was out of their campers and vans to peep the chorus of Moos from the local cows.
Grilled pizzas
Neighborhood herd
Post dinner we went for a small stroll around Diamond Lake, Pete encouraged us to keep climbing for a better lookout over the lake. So Katy and I with wine in hand and in flip flops hiked up hill for quite some ways before we finally summited and had the most stunning views of multiple peaks and nearby lakes and the ocean. Well worth it despite how tipsy Katy and I were feeling.
West Coast & Otago Views
Diamond Lake Lookout
Just a lady taking in the views
West Coast Views
The next morning we woke early and headed into town to set up camp in front of Lake Wanaka for breakfast. Such a beautiful place to eat and enjoy the view.
Lake Wanaka Waterfront
We then proceeded to rent some Mountain Bikes and hit the nearby Sticky Forest trails. What a fun afternoon! I also fell in LOVE with my bike - picture a shiny new MTB 1x11 Giant Trance with full suspension and dropper seat post. I never knew a bike could glide so smooth over rough terrain. After a fantastic ride round Lake Wanaka we hopped into the icy cold water for a quick cool down. We were famished by the time we made it back to town that we ducked into a local bar called Kai Whakapai and enjoyed some local craft brews and apps before heading back to our spot in Diamond Lake.
Girlfriends and Bikes
Enjoying the Trance
We jumped started the next day with an hour ride back into the Sticky Forest, which after a month of not riding I was feeling it. Especially after some hard diggers from the afternoon prior. Onward to town for brekky and a local stop at the library for some free wifi to catch up on world news, all things social and quick check in on the weather. It had been rainy, and so we wanted to make a game plan that involved sunshine! We decided to head towards Dunedin and stopped along the way in Cromwell at Wooing Tree Vineyard. They're known for their Pinot Noir. I just loved everything we tasted, and wanted to buy it all. I also really enjoyed the winemaker Michelle who just dazzled us with her wit, charm, and enthusiasm! It's a shame they don't ship to the USA. But I'll save another bottle for the next go round.
We then headed to across the way to Aurura for another tasting. The wine maker was a tough cookie to crack, but she finally opened up to us after we had done our tastings, and was quite friendly.
Next stop was Alexandra where we decided to stay at Como Villa vineyard for the night through Ok To Stay. Let me just say that Johnny Chapman is my new favorite person! He was so lovely, even though they were closed he provided me my very own private tasting so that I could decide which wine to purchase and enjoy. The entire tasting room is filled with a slew of antiques and lots of stable influences. Old wagons scatter the grounds and I found this place to be so peaceful. This could also be due to the 3 rounds of wine tastings, but I like to think that Como Villa and Johnny just provided a really welcoming vibe and we're all riding that wave.
Jacky, Me, and Peter tasting at Wooing Tree
Como Villa Vineyards